Butternut Squash Recipes

Pasta is always a hit in my home. This time, I paired fusilli with roasted butternut squash, fresh edamame soybeans and creamy eggplant. The sauce is made from puréed grilled eggplant mixed with cream cheese, onions and garlic. The winter squash gives more body and a deep orange color to the dish, and of course a pleasant sweetness.

My poor husband caught a bad cold that kept him in bed all weekend. I've been taking good care of him, feeding him comfort food and lots of fluids. Even though it might not cure his cold, this creamy pasta dish will cheer him up a little!

Lasagna is one of the ultimate comfort foods our family enjoys. It's butternut squash season, so I've been cooking with it a lot lately, and I thought it would be fun to use it in a lasagna dish.

To start, I roasted butternut squash pieces in the oven with herbs and honey, then blended it into a smooth purée. I then stacked layers of pasta sheets in between creamy, cheesy white sauce and butternut squash purée. It’s a perfect combination of sweet and savory, and it really enhances the natural sweetness of the ricotta.

The lasagna dish can be prepared in advance (the day before) and kept it in the refrigerator overnight. It might not be the healthiest but it will definitely satisfy your appetite on cold days.

Moghrabieh, like rice or pasta, is a palette upon which many flavors can be layered. I love the combination of couscous and beluga lentils, and to this I added cumin, butternut squash, mint, onion, turnip and red chiles. It's a healthy and delicious meal that hits the spot on a cold day.

In Paris, where I grew up, there is a large population of North Africans, so I was familiar with the tiny variety of couscous. My first introduction to the larger Lebanese variety was when I visited Las Vegas a few years ago. My husband ordered a plate of moghrabieh with lentils and vegetables. He fell in love with it, and so did I. I've been cooking with it ever since.

The butternut squash risotto was such a success last week that everyone was asking for more. I've learned that it's not a great idea to repeat the same dishes too often, even when requested, because eventually everyone gets tired of them. As opposed to making another main course, I decided to prepare a fresh salad that really shows off the versatility of butternut squash.

Instead of roasting the butternut squash with cumin and saffron as I did for the risotto, I glazed it with maple and flavored it with fresh sage. Sage is one of the most prolific herbs in our garden; it literally grows like weeds. This was a great opportunity to put it to good use, and I did so on multiple occasions in this dish.

I wanted to give this salad a real Fall feel, so I made a pomegranate vinaigrette and paired it with sage-infused oil. Continuing with the theme, I topped the salad with dried cranberries and sage-flavored croutons. The crunch of the croutons provides an excellent textural foil to the soft roasted butternut squash and the crispness of the greens.

Thanksgiving is not too far off, and if you're looking for a new addition to your table, this salad is a healthy and delicious option. Enjoy!

If Fall had a flavor, it would be butternut squash. I know pumpkins are the symbol of Halloween, and sweet potatoes are a staple of Thanksgiving meals, but to me, nothing compares to the earthy sweetness and versatility of butternut squash. It works perfectly in salads, soups, side dishes, and, in the case of this risotto, as a main course.

To prepare this dish, I just diced and roasted some butternut squash and mixed it with a pot of risotto I infused with saffron. It's a simple, no frills preparation that really highlights the flavor and texture of the butternut squash.